Device for teaching swimming.



G. READ.

DEVIIGEIOR TEACHING SWIMMING.

APPLIOATIOH FILED APR. 29, 1914.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

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DEVICE FOR TEACHING SWIMMING.

Specification of Letters Batent.

PatentedDec.22,1914.-.

Application filed Apri1=29, 1914. Seria-INo. 835,183.

To all whom it'ma z concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen READ, a subject of the King of Great Britain,and a resident. of the city of Vancouver, in; the

Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Devices for Teaching Swimming, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for teaching swimming,and theobject of my invention is to devise a simple and inexpensivemeans adapted to. be worn by the learner, the use of which will enablehim to breathe while lying face forward in the water with legs and feetinclined toward the bottom, thus insuring that the learner will betaught the art of swimming correctly in the most advantageous and,natural manner and in a much shorter time than is possible under thepresent existing methods of teaching.

A further object is to: devise a means for teaching swimming which willnot add to the buoyancy of the swimmer wliile sup porting him in thewater, thus providing a device the use of which will teach him to relyfrom the beginning on his own natural buoyancy, so that he will learnthe art in the true position from the first, thereby eliminatingentirely the unnatural and false position methods which obtain at thepresent time where the learner is supported from an exterior source orby devices which add to his buoyancy.

I attain these objects by the means illustrated in theaccompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of mydevice. Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the construction of the main frameof my device.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the tube guide plate after stampingout and before assembling. Fig. 4c is an enlarged detail view of theback plate. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the nasal clip. Fig. 6 is.a,

view illustrating the practical application of my device.

Similar figures of reference. indicate similar parts throughout theseveral views.

1 is the main frame of my device which is.

formed preferably of aluminum of very thin section, stamped out as shownin Fi g. 2, and having provided therein the slits 2, the notches 3, andthe holes 4;, all as shown more particularly in Fig. 2.

5 is an integral portion of the frame 1, the

upper end of which is doubled over so as to form a bearing for the pin 6as shown in Fig. 2. This portion 5 has a notch 18 cut in its upper end,as shown in Fig. 2, for a purpose hereinafter mentioned.

7 are integral portions of the frame 1 which extend upwardly, as shownin Fig. 2, and are adapted to arch inwardly when the device isassembled, as shown in Fig. 1. These portions 7 are provided with aplurality of holes 8, as shown in Fig. 2.

9 is a back plate of aluminum, provided with a plurality of holes 10,which plate is adapted to engage the ends of the main frame 1 when sameis bent round, as shown in Fig. 1, connection being made by means ofcountersunk head screws provided with wing nuts 11, which engage throughcertain of the holes 10 of the back plate 9 and the holes 4 of the frame1 respectively, accord ing to the adjustment required as to the size ofthe device, as hereinafter mentioned.

12 is a plate of aluminum, stamped out preferably as shown in Fig. 3,and provided with the holes 13, by means of which holes it may beengaged to the portions 7 of the main frame 1, connection being made bymeans of countersunk head screws provided with wing nuts 14/ Referring.to Fig. 1, it will be seen that when the plate 12 is thus connected tothe portions 7, an arch is formed extending transversely across theframe '1.

1 5 is an upstanding portion formed integrally with the plate 12 andprovided with a slot- 16 therein, this portion being adapted to be bentat approximately right angles to the plate 12 when the device isassembled, the slot 16 being in alinement with the notch 18, when theportion 15 is so bent.

17 are integral portions of the plate 12 adapted to be bent -over toclip the portions 7 of the frame 1 when the device is completelyassembled, as shown more particularly in Fig. 1.

19 is an air tube of aluminum, disposed slidably through the slot 16 andsupported hingedly on the portion 5 of the frame 1, being connectedthereto by means of the clip 20, the lower end of which is adapted tofit in the notch 18 and to be swingably connected to the portion 5 bymeans of the pin 6. This clip 2.0 is adapted to be slackened ortightened on the tube 19 by means of the wing nut 21 which engages asuitable screw which passes through both sides of the clip 20 underneaththe tube 19, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper end of the tube 19 is formedpreferably in funnel shape while its lower end is formed into an ovalshaped mouthpiece adapted to comfortably fit into the mouth of the user.

22 and 23 are chin straps, one end of each of which is secured into itsrespective slit 2 -in the frame 1, while their other ends are eachprovided with a button or stud 24 adapted to engage in the respectivenotches 3 of the frame 1.

25 is a spring clip adapted to fit over the nostrils to close same andprevent the entrance of water into the nasal passages.

26 is a strap securing the clip 25 to the frame 1.

It will be noted that the adjustability of the device to any size ofhead is possible by means of the provision of the plurality of holes 10in the back plate 9 and the holes 8 in the portions 7 of the frame, alsothat the air tube 19 may be adjusted to'any position of themouth byslackening the clip 20 and sliding the tube therethrough to the desiredposition and then tightening up the clip a ain.

Having thus indicated the principal parts of my invention, I will nowdescribe the manner in which it is used.

When my device is fully assembled ready for use it is as shown inFig. 1. It may then be taken by the learner and placed on the head, theframe 1 encircling the brows and extending completely around the head.being held in position by the arch formed by the portions 7 and theplate 12, this arch resting on the crown of the head. The chin straps 22and 23 are passed under the chin and their free ends secured by placingthe buttons 24 in the notches 3. The mouthpiece of the tube 19 is thenplaced in the mouth, whereupon the learner may enter the water, in whichhe will be supported in the true swimming position and enabled tobreathe freely although the mouth and nose are submerged, since theupper end of the tube 19 is always out of the water and thus'the lungsare provided with a continuous supply of air.

It may be mentioned that the use of the nasal clip is optional. as inthe majority of cases learners are able to repel the water from the nosenaturally by air pressure.

It is well understood that confidence is necessary when learning the artof swimming and to increase this confidence in the learner the presentmethods are those which involve the use of devices which add to thebuoyancy of the swimmer or simply the support afforded by theinstructor, both of which methods instil into the mind of the learner afalse impression, the learner being inclined to rely on such supportsrather than on his own buoyancy. Naturally, tuition under such methodsis slow and unsatisfactory, and is always accompanied by muscular strainand bodily exhaustion, while the nauseous annoyance of swallowing largequantities of water is ever present. These defects in the presentexisting methods are entirely eliminated by the use of my device, which,while heavier than water, yet supports the learner in the true swimmingposition, and, by' giving him confidence in the beginning, enables himto learn the art correctly in a much quicker time and in a morecomfortable and advantageous manner than is possible under the methodsin present use.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a head frame providedwith an arched portion extending transversely across the frame on theupper side and forming a part thereof, an air tube supported on saidframe, and means for adjusting the said frame to suit different sizes ofheads, all substantially as set forth.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a frame adapted toencircle the head and to be adjustable therearound, an arched portionextending transversely across the said frame on the upper side thereof,and provided with an upstanding slotted portion, an air tube disposedslidably through the slot in the said upstanding portion, and means forhingedly connecting the said air tube to the frame, all substantially asset forth.

8. A device of the class described, comprising a frame adapted toencircle the head and to be adjustable therearound, an arched portionextending transversely across the said frame on the upper side thereofand provided with an upstanding slotted portion, an air tube disposedslidably through the slot in the said upstanding portion, means forhingedly connecting the said air tube to the frame, and means fordetachably securing the frame to the head, all substantially as setforth.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a divided frame adaptedto encircle the head and provided with annular openings therethrough inproximity to the edges of its opposite ends, a plate provided with aplurality of openings therethrough and adapted to be detachably securedto the opposite ends of the said divided frame to ad justably connectsame, portions extending upwardly from each side of and integral withthe frame, and opposite each'other, said portions being provided with aplurality of openings therethrough toward their upper ends, a platehaving an upstanding slotted portion and adapted to detachably connectthe opposing ends of the said upwardly extending portions of the frameto form an arch, a bearing suitably supported on the said frame on thefront thereof, a

pin carried by the said bearing, an air tube dispnsed slidably throughthe slot in the said upstanding slotted portion, a clip member adaptedto grip the said tube and to be swingably connected to the said pin,means for slackening or tightening the grip of the said clip member onthe said tube, whereby same may be adjusted, and straps carried by thesaid frame whereby the frame may be detachably secured to the head, allsubstan- 10 tially as set forth.

Dated at Vancouver, B. (3., this thirteenth day of April, A. D. 1914.

GEORGE READ.

Witnesses:

JAMEs TAYLOR, B. \VHITEHEAD.

Gepteu of thin patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C.

